Personal Statement
Academic Consultant Interventional Cardiologist
Countess of Chester Hospital & Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital
Year 2 Director, MBChB Programme | School of Medicine, Institute of Life Course & Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences

I am an Academic Consultant Interventional Cardiologist with over 12 years of experience at the Countess of Chester Hospital and Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital. Alongside my clinical work, I serve as Year 2 Director of the MBChB Programme at the University of Liverpool, where I bring a strong focus on curriculum design, assessment, and student wellbeing. My academic portfolio is complemented by an Honorary Professorship at Chester University Medical School and previous honorary roles at Newcastle University and the University of Liverpool.

A Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and former Regional Specialty Advisor, I hold an MD from the University of Newcastle, an Interventional Cardiology Fellowship from Canada, and an MA in Clinical Education. I have delivered invited lectures nationally and internationally, organised major academic meetings, and supported trainees in difficulty through structured mentoring.

My leadership experience includes serving as Clinical Director of Diagnostic and Clinical Services, where I oversaw clinical operations, met national performance targets, maintained quality governance compliance, and achieved budgetary control through effective multidisciplinary collaboration. I completed the Oxford Executive Leadership Programme at the University of Oxford, further enhancing my strategic leadership capabilities.

In governance and quality improvement, I have contributed to aftercare reviews, root cause analyses, medico-legal reporting, business case development, and inpatient safety strategies. I have a proven ability to implement innovative, practical solutions to complex service delivery challenges.

For the past seven years, I have led the Appraisal and Revalidation teams at COCH, supporting over 360 doctors with their professional development and fitness to practise. As a recognised mentor with the NHS Northwest Leadership Academy, I bring a compassionate, respectful, and empowering approach to supporting both colleagues and students — particularly those facing challenging circumstances.

Research Overview
My research career began in acute myocardial infarction, culminating in an academic MD Degree from Newcastle University (2004–2007). My thesis at the James Cook University Hospital evaluated a re-organization of myocardial infarction service delivery, specifically the transition from thrombolysis-based care—including a rescue angioplasty service—to a primary PCI service. This project included final analysis of the MERLIN randomized trial, which demonstrated no late survival benefit for early invasive versus conservative treatment after failed fibrinolysis (Am Heart J. 2007). The research received grant support from the South Cleveland Heart Fund.

Further expertise in methodology and statistical analysis was gained through completion of the MSc Evidence Based Framework (Statistics module) at the University of Teesside. My scholarly output includes:

29 peer-reviewed journal publications (17 as first author), including the Lancet, BMJ, American Heart Journal, Catheter Cardiovascular Interventions, International Journal of Cardiology, and Heart. This includes 18 original articles (11 first author), 5 reviews (3 first author), and 3 case/image reports (2 first author).

39 abstract presentations at major conferences (24 first author): TCT, AHA, ACC, ESC, BCS.

I have authored a book chapter on adjunctive PCI technology in the second edition of “Essential Interventional Cardiology,” and contributed to the EACTS clinical guideline on antiplatelet and anticoagulation management in cardiac surgery (Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2008).

A major national impact resulted from validating the NWQIP PCI risk assessment model (Heart 2008), which led to the first UK publication of individual PCI operator outcomes (BMJ 2008). This pioneering work now informs British Cardiovascular Intervention Society (BCIS) protocols for operator and hospital outcomes reporting.

I participate as a reviewer for leading cardiology journals—including Heart, IJC, JIC, Annals of Internal Medicine, and European Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery—reviewing over 60 manuscripts since 2007.

Research at Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital (LHCH) is ongoing, focusing on quality outcome analysis in PCI through regular formal evaluations and collaborative meetings.

Selected Publications

Chew PG et al, “A direct comparison of decision rules for early discharge ...” Eur Heart J Acute Cardiovasc Care (2018)

Shahzad A et al (HEAT-PPCI investigators), “Unfractionated heparin versus bivalirudin ...” Lancet (2014)

Kunadian B et al, “Impact of Evidence-Based Strategies to Reduce Door-to-Balloon Time ...” Heart (2010)

BMJ 2008: “Cumulative funnel plots for the early detection of inter-operator variation ...”

Multiple original and review articles in the Lancet, BMJ, Heart, and leading specialty journals.

Presentations & National Impact

Invited expert presentation at Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) Conference, Washington, USA (2007).

Regular abstract presentations at BCS, ESC, AHA, ACC (2005–2008).

Led and contributed to national guideline and quality assurance development for PCI and cardiac surgery.

Research Interests:

Service reconfiguration in acute cardiac care

Quality improvement in PCI

Risk stratification and operator performance outcomes

Simulation and data-driven feedback to improve clinical care

Application and validation of statistical process control in clinical pathways

I remain committed to advancing patient care through rigorous investigation, publication, and sharing of best practices, mentoring clinical researchers, and supporting the translation of research findings into national service improvements.